Tag Archives: Shoulderstand

Week four of Yoga Tree Teacher Training: The Yoga Sutras and Alignment. In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, the eightfold path is called ashtanga, which means “eight limbs” (ashta=eight, anga=limb). These eight limbs act as guidelines on how to live a meaningful and purposeful life. They serve as a prescription for ethical conduct and self-discipline. They direct attention toward one’s health, and they help us to bring awareness to the spiritual aspects of our nature.

The Eight Limbs:

Yama – (the five restraints)

Ahimsa – Non-violence

Satya – Truthfulness

Brahmacharya – Continence

Asteya – Nonstealing

Aparigraha – Non-covetousness

Niyama – (the five observances)

Saucha – Purity, cleanliness

Santosha – Contentment

Tapas – Heat, spiritual austerity

Swadhyaya – Self-study, study of scriptures

Ishwara Pranidhana – Surrender to God

Asana – Steady posture

Pranayama – Control of prana or life force

Pratyahara – Withdrawal of the senses

Dharana – Concentration

Dhyana – Meditation

Samadhi – Super-conscious state

We worked on Salamba Sarvangasana – Shoulderstand during one of our alignment days. It is an inversion pose, which is an extremely important group of asanas. They reverse the action of gravity on the body; instead of everything being pulled towards the feet, the orientation shifts towards the head. Similarly, on the emotional levels, inverted asanas turn everything upside down, throwing a new light on old patterns of behavior and being. Inversions improve health, reduce anxiety, stress and increase self-confidence by stimulating mental power through concentration. It is believed that inversions also increase the blood supply to the scalp and nourishes the root of the hair, preventing the loss and graying of hair. I’ve always thought inversions were a little scary, but yoga is a way to face and eventually conquer our fears, so I’m going to incorporate this asana into my daily practice.